I didn't watch the video so I'm not critizing the people who use Tenkara rods.

I will say that they aren't significantly different from an Uncle Buck's 10 foot telescopic Crappie pole. Maybe the materials are a bit more pricey and higher tech, but the concept is undeniably the same. You sling your lure, fly or bait out in front of the fish and you lift up and bring them in when they bite. That's it!

Put a 9 or 12 foot knotless extruded leader on one of those Uncle Buck's rods and you can do the same things for less than $ 20.00.

I know that to be true because I've done it, though it has been years since I've dug the old crappie pole out of the corner of the garage.

Regards,

Tim Murphy

Posted on: 2012/7/15 17:38

_________________
"Then the coal company came with the world's largest shovel, and they tortured the timber and stripped all the land. Well they dug for their coal till the land was forsaken, then they wrote it all down as the progress of man."

Sorry for the crappy pic, all I had was my cell phone, I was going to throw him into the grass and run back to my truck to get my real camera, I'm sure he would have done fine while I was gone. Rest of the day was spent huffling Sakasa Kebari, now my eyes are all crossed, luckly I can type.

For all those grinding and uptight about it, what’s funny, is all that enlightenment stuff has been around FF since as long as it’s been a 'sport'. All the freaks running around during the River Runs Through It days, sporting a big brimmed hat looking for salvation through the ‘grace and art’ of throwing a fly. Nothing has changed, just a different way the same message is being presented. Fish with this and you will “find it”. All the big name rod companies burned everyone out on those same messages years ago. Then they come up with fish with this and you will “reach it”. They created a new era of everyone wanting to stand tall in drift boat and cast 1000 meters clear down the river, only to line and nuke every head they could.

Having Tenkara gives me more options in my arsenal in the way I fish. (which 99.99% of the time isn’t from a drift boat, and not for heads popping 200 yrds away either) Some things I can’t really do effectively with a Tenkara rod, some things I can’t really do effectively with a fly rod. For me it just happens that the strengths and weakness divided just so, that I know which rod is getting pulled out of the truck that morning. I never want to get too complacent thinking it’s as good as it’s going to get with all this. Just sitting in the same hole, with the same robotic cast, nuking fish with a bead head waiting for that pink thing to twitch. (how many times have we all passed by that scene)

Maybe someday I'll find out about another way to get ur done, maybe they will discover some cave drawings showing caveman clubbing fish and selling the perfect modern graphite club based on traditional methods. Along with all the cult following blogs to go with it. You bet I’ll try it, but the only way its staying is if it produces and I’m having fun while doing it. So far Tenkara is fitting into that, of course each to their own.

I will say that they aren't significantly different from an Uncle Buck's 10 foot telescopic Crappie pole.

Correct, not any more different then putting guides and a reel on that same $10 slug of graphite and casting a WF line 30 yrds. You can get it done, but man that stiff crappy pole loads a line like crap... : -)

I think a good ratio of performance to price is $60-70 for a Fountainhead Rod with a matching level line. You certaily don't need or will notice the jump to $160 unless trying to land size 24 tricos on 7x in spring creeks made of gin without spooking fish. (even then maybe)

I think what matters is finding a rod with the casting action that you like (same as its always been with FF) That whole 5:5, 6:4 7:3 rod descrption is too confusing and not needed IMOP. Just fast, med, slow.

You have Tenkara and I have my old Uncle Buck's. It's still just fishing so I'll never begrudge anyone their method of choice.

I will say that the old Uncle Buck's is fairly limber and it was a lot of fun dropping crickets and minnows on unsuspecting bluegill and crappies with it.

I'm going to get that old pole out and drop a twister or tube jig off of it and drift fish from my boat.

I'm guessing it will probably still be a lot of fun, but I know I'll never get a bluegill on it like the one I lost in Holley Lake in DeFuniak Springs FL 30 years.

It was easily a 4 pound bluegill, and as I was swinging it over the side of the boat my buddy Gramps woke up and rocked the boat, slapping the fish and knocking it off the hook.

Hell, I have something to shoot for at least.

Regards,

Tim Murphy

Posted on: 2012/7/15 19:04

_________________
"Then the coal company came with the world's largest shovel, and they tortured the timber and stripped all the land. Well they dug for their coal till the land was forsaken, then they wrote it all down as the progress of man."

pete41 wrote:I am sure you realize we are just funnin with you.Enjoy lol

No more then I'll be fully disappointed if I run across you and you are not 'all the women' your avitar is. I'm sure that avitar pic makes you look like you have a few extra pounds anyway as they say..lol

I didn't watch the video so I'm not critizing the people who use Tenkara rods.

I will say that they aren't significantly different from an Uncle Buck's 10 foot telescopic Crappie pole. Maybe the materials are a bit more pricey and higher tech, but the concept is undeniably the same. You sling your lure, fly or bait out in front of the fish and you lift up and bring them in when they bite. That's it!

Put a 9 or 12 foot knotless extruded leader on one of those Uncle Buck's rods and you can do the same things for less than $ 20.00.

I know that to be true because I've done it, though it has been years since I've dug the old crappie pole out of the corner of the garage.

Regards,

Tim Murphy

Tim,I'm finding myself in the odd position of defending something I really don't want to defend. You may be absolutely 100% correct that you can do the same thing with and Uncle Buck rod. My point is that the rods are different. I just mic'd the end of my tenkara rod and it is 30 thousandths of an inch in diameter. That is really pretty thin by fly rod standards, and if you know anything about rod tapers you would have to admit that it would behave differently. Not better, just different. I would be interested in knowing the diameter of the Uncle Buck tip to see how it compares.As an aside, that is the first time the rod has been out of its tube in about 2 years. So I am not a member of the cult. I just think that if you are going to say something is the same as something else, there should be some evidence that the things are actually the same. If I said that you can throw some guides and a reel seat on that Uncle Buck and it will be the same as a Sage, folks would probably disagree.Mike.